Hasselblad announces distinctly RX100-esque 'Stellar' compact

Hasselblad has unveiled a rather familiar-looking compact camera - the Stellar. The very RX100-esque compact offers the same 28-100mm equivalent Zeiss-branded zoom and 20MP 1"-type sensor as the Sony, but comes with a substantial hand-grip made from a choice of exotic materials and, we suspect, a significantly higher price tag.

The Hasselblad Stellar will be available with a choice of hand grips.

The company has set up a dedicated website for the camera - due to ship this month - on which you can select your favorite grip material from a list of seven. This appears to be the only aspect of the camera that isn't simply badge-engineered.

The collaboration is also due to include 'products for the DSLR segment' (which could easily mean a camera based on Sony's 'SLT' semi-transparent mirror technology). Oddly the Stellar appears to be based on the existing RX100 model, rather than the recently-announced RX100 M2.

But remember, they don't have to sell very many to turn a profit since the margins are so big. Get several thousand people around the world who want a RX-100, for whom paying an extra $1000 for some luxury "style" and an exclusive brand name is chump change, and Hasselblad are in the clear with this to the tune of several million in profit

It's a far less risky strategy than investing the R&D to develop a camera themselves.

"SERVER ERROR" says for looking for more comments on this topic... i guess dpreview don't want anymore comments about this camera. Dpreview should learned something about this product that their readers are not as they think they are. If dpreview is really that serious about reviewing anything, they should think twice about it first before publishing anything. Commenters on this camera are about 95% are on negative side about this camera.. does anyone or two of dpreview staff have any idea of what their readers will think about this camera before before publishing it? Nope.. not even one i guess.

I really don't understand why everybody keep trashing HB - They created an admirable camera, pocketable albeit its large sensor and bright lens, which no Japanese maker can dream of achieving. The only problem is the pointless, ugly grip. Oh yes, and they may want to consider BSI sensor and tilting screen, but one can't ask for everything...

Here are some hard facts and features of the grip that people may have overlooked.

1. It looks like wood but its actually a space age nano tech based material that cloaks to the background.2. It blends (cameleon) with the color of your outfit --- cool for fashonable uppies who match colors.3. Dynamicals molds to your palm when you grip it, an advances Dr. Scholls for you palm.4. The two rivets on the grip are actually micro laser beams that help focus assist that can do a mind meld and focus on command.5. They are the next generation of cameras on US pedator drones.6. If you are old fashioned you can turn off the cameleon feature and take it to a service center where you have the choice of 250 different grips.The grip change is part of the scheduled maintenenace for the first 1 year or within 100 shutter actuations

Note that this is not a camera but rather a fashion statment so the engineers do not expeect to have more that 10 sutter actualtion in its life time.

I'm surprised this was not thought of before. They look like the Packmeyers that I used to put on my pistols; made gun handling very comfortable and offered a more steady control when shooting. I wonder if it enhances one's comfort, control, and aim. I'm not sure I would put holes in my cameras. Packmeyers always fit perfectly on a pistol without damaging the firearm.

Here,s a challenge: "FOOLS GALLERY"1/ If you spot one of these adornments around the neck of someone in public, .. capture the shot2/ Post it on DPR and other sites.3/ Imbed a LAUGH rating counter 1 -- 104/ Send the results to HusselPlunder5/ The winner will be sent the "Top Fool Spotter's" certificate

I would like to say that we can shame it out of the market, However, Fools are very thick skinned and very Vain!Have fun with it.If I spot a FOOL in Australia, I'll sell them the Sydney Harbor Bridge and offer to put an Exotic Wood Handrail on it. Sydney Harbor Bridge $100Million, Wooden handle with an "H" on it $700Million. Sounds about right?

This camera just looks weird. Mixing wood with plastic not a good look. If Hasselblad REALLY want to branch out and increase their profit margins, they should start thinking about putting those handles in other places too. Hey how about a broomstick. A $5 broom could be worth $700 with that hand grip on it.

The recent offerings these are significant only due to the fact that Hasselblad has taken the Barnum and Bailey philosophy that a sucker is born every minute. Hasselblad seems to have lost their past and have become a 'me too' company and is certainly lost the status they once had.

Japanese people noted for buying very expensive items such as rolex watches, they are the customers for this fugly and tasteless style of this kind of camera, the more expensive the more they like it. So don't be so critical to this camera.. there are still a large part of customers of this acute (cute) kind of camera on that part of our planet.

i'm sory but you are wrong. This is an intelligent move by hasselblad. This camera is not for you. Is for people who precisely want not to be confused whit any of us.People that wants everebody see that they can pay a lot more without any reason. Is Marketing.And also hasselblad wins because everyone is talking about the brand.(excuse my english i live in a remote country)

I understand your point, but last I checked, business was about making money. I can't see enough people, with or without money, supporting Hassy's bid to slip into the market rebadging and adding grips to cameras. If they don't get it right, this bad move will solidify their exit from the camera world.

i know i exagerated a littlethe point is that the worst mistake we can make is think that corporations are stupid. They can make mistakes, but for sure they studied very well their moves: they want to make money. We as consumers must be smart too, and think what is the real utility of what we buy,

I have a good solution:A web site should be established containing a list of NAMES of those shallow sods that have been stupid enough to be conned into making the purchase of any RE-Badged Stellar priced fashion accessory. (I don't class them as cameras)

The HusselBlunder Lunatic has a BODY ONLY price of $8,300 in Australia !!!For those that aren't aware: "IT'S JUST A SONY NEX-7" I'm told that it also just ships with the very ordinary Re-Named SONY/SUNY Kit lens!

And the HasselBlunder Stellar is, ... Wait for it! :"IT'S JUST A SONY RX-100" priced at USD$3200 !!!!!!!!Now, "Off you go, it's time to take your Yellow pills"

I think you're onto something here - I don't think that revealing their identity would be appropriate (or interesting). Rather, I would suggest sightings, complete with photographs of these "partnerships" in the wild. Something similar to what birders do.there's a website called people of Walmart along similar lines.

The thing is, Leica used that partnership as life support while developing its own digital cameras (starting with the M8). It contributed directly to the design of the Panasonic cameras it rebadged.

And Panasonic used/uses the Leica name on its lenses as a way to gain some respectability in the market. The current rebadged Panasonics appear to be more or less an afterthought beside a range of products designed and made by Leica.

I suppose it's possible that Hasselblad is using this initiative as a similar kind of "life support," but I don't see any evidence of it. What I see instead is a company that is now simply a brand, in the business of rebadging off-the-shelf cameras that it has not helped design. That its sole contribution appears to be a grossly overpriced grip of dubious tastefulness just adds insult to injury. And I don't see Sony getting the same kind of benefit Panasonic did.

Yes, and Leica had/has a dealership and service network for service and support. I still wish Leica didn't pretend that they were Leica cameras. Just say co-developed with Panasonic. And, yes, now there are many true Leica digital models M variants, X series, S camera.

I wonder what the market is for selling a wooden handle and a H is to RX100 owners as an add on? A Hassy on the cheap.What would of been more useful is a lens hood system and flip up magnifier for the screen. That would make a degree of sense.This nonsense stands a good chance of lowering the profile of their MF gear.

Today lot's of companies in the pro camera business get the technology from Japan or buy the whole camera / lens from there and just change the brand, why shouldn't they, though Japanese labor costs are the highest among the world (including wages and social security payments, at 22.0 euros per hour compared to 17.8 euros in the US and 20 euros on average in the EU) they are more efficient, innovative and in terms of durability out of competition. Hasselblad has already partnerships with Fujifilm and Fujinon producing bodies and lenses for them. I'm just surprised the move to Sony but i bet the reason is because of it's taller sensor compared to the Fujifilm X Pro 1By the way, the latest Zeiss Touit lenses are also Made in Japan, made by Fujinon.

The point is that a company which once belonged to the top notch camera manufacturers lowers itself to using a standard pretty low end consumer camera. All Hassy does is rebrand it with an a Hassleblad logo and a wooden handgrip and then resell the 100% same Sony RX 100 for over 3000 dollars....

You have missed the topic argument. Yes! re-badging takes place in all market sectors and the retail price reflects this.

However, what we are talking about here is sticking a Ferrari badge on a Dewoo paint it red and put a price tag of $600,000 on it.Then they lie & cheat the public.It should be mandatory that a Consumer Warning Tag should be clearly attached to these Husselblunders: 'WARNING THIS IS A FAKE HASSELBLAD" " NOT REAL!"And for the really stupid: "Do not eat!"